Improved elevated railway



R. P. MORGAN, Jr.

. Elevated Railway.

Patented IApril 20,' 1869.

` .Zh/U6 Ffa-Lor MVM Nv PETERS, Pham-Langman washing UNITE S'rE'rEsPATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD P. MORGAN, JR., OF DWIGHT, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED ELEVATED RAILWAY.

Specijicatzon forming part of Letters Patent No. 89,233, dated April 20,1869.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD P. MORGAN, Jr.,of the town of Dwight, county of Livingston and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and Improved Elevated Railway, to be used in cities,towns, or villa-ges, where it is deemed advisable to construct anelevated, instead of either a surface or underground, railway.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of astreet-railway composed of a series of arches, supported on each side ofthe street upon iron shoes embedded in masonry. These arches areconnected together by trusses of any ordinary or suitable con struction,which will impart sufficient strength and rigidity to the wholesuperstructure to prevent any vertical or lateral displacement of therailway; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the construction and operation of the same,reference being had to the accompanyng drawings, which are hereby made apart of this specification, in which- Figure l is a transverse section;Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; and Fig. 3, a ground plan. 4

Letters A A in the drawings represent the external arc or arch,constructed of iron or other material, and of suihcient length to startor spring from its seat on shoe P, on either side of the street, andmeet at the point X, over the center of the street.

B is the interior arc or arch, firmly fastened to the arcs A, at or neartheir base, on each side of the street, and extending across the same inan elliptical, semicircular, or other curve, as may be required to giveit a suitable rise from the surface of the street, so

that it will offer no obstruction to carts, carriages, or otherconveyances. This latter arch or arc forms the seat upon which thelongitudinal trusses rest, and aided by the various connections, asshown, with the outer arch A, is the base of the railway superstructure.A sufficient space is left between the two arcs or arches for the carsto run without any obstruction or hinderance whatever, and it isproposed to use dummy engines for the motive power, although other anddifferent power may be employed for that purpose.

C is a truss-frame running longitudinallyalong the line of the road,under the middle of the arch A A, the bottom of which rests upon thearch B, connecting the series of arches, and supports the ties I, uponwhich the rails K are laid.

D D are trusses of similar construction to C, supporting the ends of theties I, upon which the rails are laid.

H are tension-rods, connecting the two arches A and B vertically at thecenter, and also holding the ends of the truss O'; and O O O are othertension-rods uniting the arcs A at thc top, and A and B at the sides.arcs or arches being set up and adjusted at proper intervals on thestreet, and connected together by means of the trusses aforesaid, offerno obstruction to the ordinary street traftic or travel, and present alight, airy, and ornamental appearance.

The structure, being made preferably of wrought-iron, is of greatstrength, and not liable to get out of repair, and its uniformity in allits parts is such that any part can be easily supplemented Withoutimpeding the travel thereupon.

The pressure, as will be seen, upon the arches A B is vertical, and bythe combination is directed in the line of the greatest strength of thematerial used, and the arches act as mutua-l supports to each other.

Access can be had to the cars from the buildings N along the line of theroute, by means of the platforms M, placed at convenient intervals,supported by the trusses D and an additional truss, E, at suchplatforms, or stairways may be erected from the sidewalk on thestructure itself.

P represents the shoe upon which the arch A rests, and is embedded inmasonry at or near the curbstone on each side of the street. Q.represents the street, and R the sidewalk.

Each of the arches may be constructed of angle-iron, or such other formas may be deemed most advisable.

Between the vertical tensionrods O andthe point of intersection of thetwo arches A and B other tension-rods, G, are used to impart additionalstrength to the Wholestructure.

Stay-rods leading from the arcs A A, on

These each side, extending to the trusses C and D, are applied insufficient number to prevent lateral vibration, and also to overcome anyflexible action of the arcs.

What l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The elevated Irailway, constructed and arranged in the manner and forthe purpose herein described.

2. The arches A and B, so constructed as to act as a support to cachother in sustaining the superstructure and trains in a street-rail- Way,in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

3. The combination of the arcs or arches A and B with the truss-frame Gand D, in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

4. The connection of the arcs or arches A and B of an elevatedstreet-railway by means RICHD. P. MORGAN, JR.

Witnesses:

H. SPENCER, B. F. JAMES.

